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Alongside eSports viewership, the popularity of casual ‘Let’s Plays’ (commentary on streams of the playing of videogames) has accelerated dramatically.

The research found that much of this relates to viewers seeking to improve their own gameplay, alongside a dedicated following of individual broadcasters on platforms including Twitch and YouTube. It argued that companies seeking to cash-in on the trend should either work with a streamer who aligns with their values, or closely monitor content which is to be published in public.

Research author Lauren Foye explained: “As we saw following PewDiePie’s recent controversial videos, a breach of a sponsor’s values can result in the termination of lucrative partnerships. Nevertheless, a rise in PewDiePie’s channel engagement following the scandal highlights a quandary sponsors are facing.”

New Opportunities: Value-Added Content

Whilst advertising, and increasingly tips, are dominant in the viewership of casual games streaming, eSports content has begun to be monetised through alternative means. Juniper believes that the sale of merchandise, time-limited content (such as in-game items), and access passes, will form part of a wider trend to drive the industry forwards. As we saw with DOTA 2’s 2016 ‘The International’ tournament, sales of additional content boosted the prize pool by $18 million.